Wow! Coming across this just took me back nearly 50 years. Too bad there's no video. It might have shown a 16 year-old preppie kid from The Peddie School sitting on the stage right behind Pig. That's where I was the whole night. I can't remember any of the music, just the event. I do have clear memories of Pig and the boys on stage. I also remember looking into the audience from my angle and seeing my teacher/chaparone enjoying the hell out of it. He was the one who gathered up a half-dozen of us and took us to the show.

It was the era of Live Dead, American Beauty, and Workingman's Dead. I'm glad to hear that musically it was a good show, and not one of the "off nights". To my ears the band was cooking!

Even though I went on to see more shows in the late 70's and 80's, my favorite live Dead was between '69-'72.

Five stars for me.........

This show once enjoyed the spotlight, its fame birthed by a long essay in the Taper’s Compendium. It then became the only '71 SBD that some traders listed. But iffy copies did circ - low gen, pitched very fast. The better Scranton show from a few days earlier began to circ and then became better known. This show was known as a Pig showcase - though we now know this is par for the period. True, his songs are the better songs overall, but that's partly because the rest of the band isn't always ON and the whole show has OOT guitars. It will appeal more to those Heads who eschew Dark Star or China>Rider for the band vamping behind long Pigpen raps, which is of course fine, it's a big tent (though even then it's typical '71). So, some of the lustre has been lost. Today it's more of a must-hear-once, historical affair, and April '71 is now known for shows like 4/13 & 4/28. At this point they had played only colleges in NJ - all in the NYC area. Their next 8 shows in the state were all in Jersey City (the rise of John Scher).

First Set. Truckin' is a solid enough start, though Big Railroad is not as tight as most '71s. Two Bigs, and Pig steps to the mic for the second. It's very slick, but no fireworks. Bird Song is still in its early, key of D arrangement. The playing ain't bad but it's quite OOT. Playin' has a trainwreck; they cut short. It's becoming apparent the Bobby songs are average, the Pig songs great. Evidence two = Hard to Handle: 6lbs. of dynamite in a 3lb. bag. Loser-SS is OOT but still solid. The next two are all polish, with a going-through-a-tight-wind Mama Tried, and dig the extra effort on this singular Casey Jones. Sugar Mag had a false start...two shows in a row.

Second Set. Good Lovin' is amusing & entertaining the first time through. Must hear once (the very beginning is missing from SBDs). Bobby McGee is a bit flat compared to the peaks often reached in '71. The next few aren't the greatest versions, though Jer goes the extra in the last half of Beat it On Down the Line-7½. Bertha gets them back up to speed, featuring the best playing of the set. The Goodnight Coda jam of Goin' Down the Road is oddly separated on some of these sources. They tease out NFA, until Jer shouts "Bobby, it's Lovelight!". Pig is in fine form for this stretched finale. Jer adds a couple little things but it's mostly vamping. Must hear once; historical interest. Somehow, saying "later on" faded by the '90s. I tried it out on some confused millennials. Today, people think there are more words coming. You might as well say "earlier off and".

1st Set:  B
2nd Set: C
Overall = 3¼ stars

Highlights:
Hard to Handle - the band dig behind Pig
Mama Tried - tight wind
Casey Jones - singular

SOURCES: The sirmick_88760 is the most dynamic and has the blips fixed and improved balance. It has been pitch corrected to the first song, but the rest is still off, running fast, and due to speed wobbling the best you can do at times is to make an average pitch correction per song. Big Railroad, Big Boss, Loser>Casey, Good Lovin, GDtRFB and Lovelight all need -1% pitch correction. Bird Song>Handle, and McGee>Sing Me need -2%. Playing and Sugar speed up and slow down, so those are rough averages. The channels are switched from Big Boss though Playin'. Also, the tunings are trimmed tightly, so you might try 138033_sbd. Its pitch is closer but still needs adjustment, and it has the channels switched in different places (however it does patch Lovelight's 22sec gap with the AUD). The AUD is excellent for a '71 [though it needs re-pitched], hence the rare '71 matrix - which helps buffer the fact that the vox are mixed high. These also have the beginning of Good Lovin'.

Anyone unfamiliar with this show should pause reading this NOW, copy the Archive address here to add to your collection, and listen as soon as possible! This is an awesome, justly famous show that will get you hoppin' and boppin'! Apart from Pig being in top form, the psychedelic interplay between the rest of the band members during Good Lovin' is very far out. This is R&B with mind-boggling twists and turns, folks. And does Pigpen let his Lovelight shine brightly! The rap here is well-known as the most elaborate and coolest of any performance ever, of this song.
I'll never understand why this has never been released commercially. Makes no sense. An essential, legendary show.

A gentleman by the name of Tim Cassidy, died on December 9th, 2014 in Bethlehem PA. Tim attended Princeton in the late 60's and early 70's and I found out yesterday at the luncheon, that he attended only 2 Grateful Dead shows and this was one of them. Tim played in a few bands and one was called "Better Off Dead" where he mostly plays harmonica and after listening to this show, I know that Tim must have really enjoyed this show and all that the harp had offered that evening.

I must also agree with other listeners that the band was really tight and jamming on all cylinders, especially Pigpen!

Rest in peace Tim Cassidy, I hope you enjoyed the ride...

This is A killer show with stellar jams.pigeon is a rock star.gr8 energy and song selection.thanks for this one sir Mick.

This is a tight show. Jerry and Billy sound great. Casey Jones is amazing. Some songs sound better without piano.
Ron McKernan's numbers are high caliber like 2/24.

THIS SHOW IS SUPER HOT!!!

5 stars = audio quality (wow)
5 stars = mix (wow)
5 stars = Performance (I'm blown away)
5 stars = audio improvement through technology

Thank you SIRMick, you have improved the quality of my life. I am a fan of Pigpen and his Love Light shines through, thanks to you.

PIGPEN WE WILL NEVER FORGET YOU.

Pigpen shows us what a true musical genius can do with a band like the GRATEFUL DEAD. Pigpen could make the GRATEFUL DEAD do things they could never do themselves. He was a musical genius and a master of stage presence.

Amazing sound quality for a show in a college gym in 1971. How did they do it?

The BOYS ARE AMAZING! This show is incredible. I am blown away! More!

I highly recommend this show. April 71 is a magical time for the GRATEFUL DEAD. I suggest you get all the shows from April 71.

You can get a list of all the shows SIRMick has on the IA by clicking his name next to "keyword" above.

Get it while you can, get it while it's free, get it NOW, or you will be sorry.

The GRATEFUL DEAD are in sync and focused. They are playing like they mean business. This is the GRATEFUL DEAD singing and playing their hearts out, 1971 style and you can hear the audience scream with joy during Casey Jones.

Billy's playing is HOT! He's in the pocket. His playing is INTENSE but relaxed, his kit sounds incredible and he drives the band. His mix is great, you can really hear him, and everyone else perfectly. How did they do that in a gym in 1971?

The whole show is treat, so don't miss it.

--------------> "A MUST HAVE" <---------------

It's amazing how good it sounds for being recorded in a college gym in 1971..how did they do it?

THIS SHOW MAKES YOU SCREAM "MORE"!

Eat, drink, be merry and listen to the GRATEFUL DEAD.

Thanks for the Love.